Arcadia Gays: Beginnings
by PriestessAmy
Summary: The prequel to my Arcadia Gays collection. My attempt to give some continuity to how the four girls all got together in their own little way. Comments welcome and appreciated!
1. It's High Time We Talked

"I can't believe I'm doing this. I can't believe I'm letting you let me do this. This is a terrible idea."

"Cool it, Mad Max. You've seen how much I smoke, and I'm perfectly fine. Well, relatively fine. And let's face it, if anyone has earned the right to break a handful of laws, it's you."

"Chloe, I already broke like... five laws just trying to survive this fucked up week!" Max huffed and slumped against the back of the bench, staring out from the same spot where, just a week prior, she watched as a gigantic storm threatened to tear apart the town she loved. She felt aged, like the seven days took years to pass. She wasn't even halfway through her first semester at Blackwell and she already felt like an old woman.

The only girl in the world who knew the truth was trying desperately to tend to all the trauma and psychological wounds. Unfortunately, she didn't know much about how that stuff worked, so she did the next-best thing and offered to let Max toke up with her. The lighthouse seemed like a decent place since the house was kind of a danger zone. "Okay, so don't think about the legal aspect. Just remember that there are people in this country who take this stuff to deal with pain, anxiety, depression, and more. And you are most definitely in pain." Though it sounded like she was searching for an excuse, she was also trying in her own way to process just how much Max had suffered. She was a hero, no matter how much she denied the title.

"Okay, fine, how do I do this?"

Chloe chuckled, trying to be understanding of the fact that her friend was so adorably straightedge. "I'll go first, just watch me. It's easy. You inhale, hold, exhale, boom. And go slow. Sometimes the first time is easy, sometimes it can be a little surprising. Your tiny hipster ass could be caught off guard." She lit up the blunt she'd prepared and took the first two hits, coughing softly as she passed it off.

Max took the joint like it was radioactive and going to melt her flesh off, and Chloe had to stifle another laugh. All those after-school specials had a way of warping your mind, like just looking at one of those things could turn you into a junkie. But innocent as she was, Max wasn't a total idiot, just understandably nervous. Still, what Chloe had said made sense. She had earned this, dammit! As ordered, she pulled it to her lips, breathed in, held it a moment, and breathed out. She had the ragged cough of a first-timer and didn't bother with a second take before passing it back. "Jesus, Price, warn a girl! Augh, it's like inhaling straight-up fire!" she bitched, in between fits of coughing.

This time, Chloe couldn't hold back and began giggling like an idiot before getting another two hits. Despite complaints, Max took it from her and tried again, knowing not to drag it so hard this time. "Sorry kiddo, I guess I kinda forgot what it can be like..."

After a while they got into a comfortable pattern of puff-puff-pass, speaking little, if at all. Max had spent an entire week thinking and talking and moving and doing and planning and fixing and solving and she was so goddamn tired of it. And, thankfully, Chloe really did know when to shut her mouth – even if it was obvious that she wasn't used to the idea of a comfortable silence.

Max's head was becoming comfortably fuzzy, and she found that it really was helping. She wasn't thinking so much. Her limbs were heavy. The weight was off her shoulders, as was the tension. She gave a contented sigh, and as she smiled, Chloe grinned back at her. "There's my girl. Feeling it?"

"Mmm, I guess? You'd know better than I would..."

"Thank fuck for that. Mad Max, you... You really did something impossible. And I know it still hangs over you like a ghost. I'm sorry for peer pressuring you into this, but if it's doing the job, then I can live with the guilt." Eventually there was little left but a bit of paper and ash and Chloe quickly stubbed it out and dumped the remnants in an empty beer can, discarded nearby from the cliff's previous occupants.

Guilt. Max knew about guilt. She'd done things she wasn't necessarily proud of, but one stuck with her more than the others. "Chloe... There's... I need to... Earlier..." She stared straight forward, and felt an arm suddenly sneak around her shoulders as Chloe pulled her closer.

"Careful there, Maximilian, it's been a shit week and neither of us want to deal with any new drama." Chloe was just trying to keep things easy, but it just made her feel more nervous again. She needed to get this off her chest.

"One last thing, and then I promise we can spend a couple months shooting the shit and not giving a fuck, okay?" Max looked up into Chloe's face, unaware that she was currently making her irresistible puppy dog eyes.

"Oh, fine..." Chloe might have sounded angry about that, but her tightening grip around Max's shoulder told her another story, the one that the blue haired monster refused to speak aloud. Max came first. Always.

Max took a deep breath, no longer fighting the fuzziness in her head, trying to use the fact that she felt so free and easy to push her forward. "I realized that my power had another use. I could... I could use pictures to go further back in time. I was looking at that old picture of us making pancakes..." Wait, shit, it didn't exist anymore. She'd destroyed it. "Um, anyway, I was suddenly thirteen again. The day William... Um, I-I stopped him. Ruined his keys. Convinced him to take the bus. He was alive Chloe! And I was in the Vortex club and I think I was shacking up with Victoria? Sorry, alternate timelines, it was all very Back to the Future." She rubbed the back of her neck and forced herself not to see the reaction on her best friend's face.

"I'd probably still be there now. But you... There was a different accident. You were paralyzed. Millions in hospital bills. You asked me... All I had to do was... just crank up your IV to eleven. I-I did it. Then I went back and let William leave again. Everything was back to 'normal'. But not me. You died so many times, but that's the one that won't leave me alone. I killed you Chloe. And even if you forgive me, I understand if you don't, but... I can't forgive myself."

There was a long, long pause, and this time it wasn't comfortable. The hand at Max's shoulder tightened and she felt herself pulled in closer still. She didn't say anything, but Max could hear the terrifying sound of her soft sniffling.

"I always thought that my life was so shitty. Step-douche and Rachel Amber and Frank and my debt and getting kicked out of Blackwell. And I mean, yeah, it sucks sometimes. But you've only been back in my life a week and it's like nothing changed. Hanging with you makes things easier. And I know it's shitty of me to say about me from another universe, but I guess that kinda puts stuff in perspective. And if you did what you did, I'm sure it was justified." Chloe gave another sniffle and stared at the sun as it sank below the horizon. "How... was I?"

"No blue hair, but just as beautiful, just as spirited. We watched Blade Runner and you told me you hated the word 'hella'." Max was shocked to hear Chloe react with a bright, raucous laugh that managed to actually startle her. It was infectious, and she inevitably started to giggle as well, even as a few tears fell from her eyes.

The two continued to laugh and cry, finally starting to let out all the bullshit that had accumulated over the week. Finally it subsided and Chloe planted a kiss to the top of Max's head, eliciting a bright blush from the tinier girl. "I love you, Max. I don't know if there's _anything_ you could do that would make me hate you. Angry, sure. But, y'know, just a bit."

"Nothing...?" Max said, very tentatively. Her voice was quiet, with maybe just a twinge of hope.

"Well, I'd prefer you not get too hardcore with testing that theory. But yeah. We're a dynamic duo, changing timelines and saving entire towns. Even if the ungrateful fuckers never actually recognize it. But I guess Batman didn't make a ton of friends either." Chloe finally took note of the glowing cheeks and cocked her head to the side. "Hey, c'mon, that should've gotten a bigger laugh, Caulfield. Don't tell me you're crashing already."

Max fiddled with the zipper on her hoodie, quietly pushing it down and back up. She was refusing to look back at Chloe. There was one more thing. Perhaps it was best to just launch into it, see what happened, and then rewind if shit got too deep. "I love you, Chloe. Um. But like, that other kind. The capital-L kind. I always did, but I guess I just figured it was some stupid confused schoolgirl thing. That's why I was so shitty about keeping in touch. I didn't want it to hurt, to grow distant while trying to pretend we were still close. Even when I got back, I guess I figured you'd be so different and you wouldn't even remember me. But as soon as we were back together, I couldn't shake it. That's why I kissed you. The dare was just an excuse."

The look on Chloe's face was all she needed to see. Her right hand shot out and...

Nothing happened. Normally there was at least a headache when nothing happened. But this was nothing-nothing. So now she just looked like a doofus holding out her hand after confessing her big stupid idiotic crush on her best friend.

"Was that... Max!" Chloe's arm was ripped away from her, and the brunette never felt more alone in her entire life. She'd lost her powers, she'd lost her best friend, and it was all over now. "You just tried to rewind!" Chloe was on her feet now, glaring down at Max as the girl tried to shrink into her hoodie.

"I couldn't, I think I-"

"Shut up, we'll get to that. This is more important!" Chloe snapped, and Max saw that terrifying fire in her eyes that was only reserved for the likes of David.

 _Wait, more important? Bad important? Good important? Chloe, what the hell are you doing?_ She could only watch in horror as her friend began to pace back and forth, fuming, huffing and puffing. If Max wasn't scared for her life, it would have been pretty cute. _Jesus, Max, get a grip, now is_ _ **not**_ _the time..._

"You unload all this stuff on me, and then tell me the sweetest, most adorable thing I've ever heard in my life, and then immediately try to rewind it? So- So what, was this just a trick? You were curious and you'd see how I reacted to you professing your undying love for me? Was any of that stuff true? Did you really kill another me? Do you..." Her voice trembled and cracked here, and Max's confusion only grew. "Do you really l-love me?

"Of course I do! How couldn't I?" In a whirl, Max was pulled up by both hands until she and Chloe were face-to-face. Chloe was still angry, but now in a more flustered, embarrassed sort of way. The look someone got when they realized they had maybe, possibly fucked up but were too proud to admit it.

"Prove it." She finally said, and stared Max down. "None of that playschool shit. No dare, no shenanigans. You kiss me right now, Max Caulfield, and there had better be goddamn fireworks."

It was phrased like a request, but said like an order. Either way, it was pretty clear now, even to the oblivious Max. She held back the desire to giggle, not wishing to damage Chloe's ego too much. She tenderly placed a hand to each burning cheek and pulled Chloe in until their lips met. And no, this was no 'playschool shit'. The dare-kiss was barely a peck. This kiss was magnetized and electrified. Two poles snapping together and fitting just-so. Max may have proved her point, but she was far from done. She leaned more into it, her head tilting to the side, her lips parting ever so slightly. She could feel the other girl's hands coming to rest on her hips, and it took a good deal of concentration to not think too hard on that. With the appropriate leverage now obtained, Chloe shifted them until they were once more seated on the bench. Max's hands moved from Chloe's cheeks to let her arms wrap about her neck.

Neither girl was entirely sober enough to process time appropriately, so it was impossible to be sure just how long the embrace went on. It was certainly long enough for Max to wipe her memory banks of anything even approaching a first kiss so that she could file this one away as her first _real_ kiss. When they finally pulled away, they were panting, chests heaving just slightly, faces flushed, eyes still a little watery.

"...sorry, Max... That was low."

Max shook her head desperately and pulled Chloe in for a tight hug. "No, I... I shouldn't have tried to rewind. I was spoiled this week. I was able to fix my choices instead of learning to live with them."

"So, what, you think it was the weed or...?"

"No, if something were stopping me, I'd..." A memory came over, the only two times she'd been completely barred from using her powers. She shuddered at the thought of it. Max was definitely not ready to go there yet. "I'd know. There'd be a headache or haziness or something. It's just gone. No answers, no explanation."

Slowly, Chloe's hands traced fingers through the sandy locks. The brunette was grateful to finally be close to her best friend in a non-platonic way, even if the circumstances sucked ass. "You'll always be my Super Max. Guess we just have to be careful from here on out."

"Honestly, I'll be glad to be rid of the pain and the nosebleeds. It was too much to bear. And I know I have you to look out for me..." Max said this part a little quieter, more bashfully, unable to make eye contact with Chloe. "Does this mean..."

"Uh-uh, Max. Chloe doesn't do labels. What this means is that now I can indulge in all my Max-related fantasies. For real." She grinned, but Max wasn't sure she exactly approved of that answer. To her surprise, Chloe's shit-eating grin quickly dissipated and she started to look almost as bashful. "But I guess... if you wanted... from time to time... once in a while... you could maybe say something to the effect of... 'I have a girlfriend'. But just to scare away creepy dudes! And Warren. We tell Joyce, and we tell Warren. Everyone else will have to just sit around and guess."

"His poor heart. But why Joyce?" Max's head canted to the side slightly.

"She wants you to be my _Good Influence_. If she knows just how much you really mean to me, she'll get off my back~" It was pretty obvious there was a lot more to it than that. But Max didn't want to press anymore. She was tired of pressing. She was free of her powers, and she had a kinda-sorta-girlfriend, and she was ready for life to go back to normal. She stole one last fleeting peck from Chloe's lips before hopping up.

"Well then, bacon and coffee and telling Joyce you've got the hots for me. Sounds like a plan." She let out a bizarre sound that was somewhere between a squeak and a gasp as Chloe threw a chummy arm around her neck, nearly choking her, and ruffled her hair.

"To the Two Whales, First Mate!"


	2. To Forgive The Divine

No one questioned Victoria Chase. Not even when she suddenly pulled a 180 and declared Kate Marsh to be completely out of bounds to any and all hate. Admittedly, no one would have dared be openly hostile to Saint Marsh, but there were still those who would snicker and joke in the deeper, darker corners of the school about how she would undoubtedly try again. Not only had she made the declaration like the princess she was, but whenever she was around and heard someone about to say something awful, she gave them _The Look_ that shut them up right quick.

In fact, only one person in the entirety of Blackwell would have been able to call her out on it, and that was Kate Marsh herself. Victoria had rather assumed that they would pretty much never have to talk about it so long as the two agreed that it was best they keep their distance from one another. And for a while that worked out well enough, just keeping it swept up under the rug.

That was the way Victoria generally liked things, neat and clean and easy. It made it that much more difficult to deal with. She didn't have to think about why she had been such a bitch in the first place, or why she was so quick to turn on a dime and be Kate Marsh's private security detail, or why she hated Maxine Caulfield so much, with her stupid hipster bullshit and that face that was so adorable she just wanted to...

She wanted to tear it off. Because it was so stupid. So stupid and freckled.

And that Chloe chick! Victoria could still remember when she'd been kicked out of Blackwell. It was only a matter of time. She went to all that trouble dying her hair and playing up that idiotic punk rock princess routine. She clearly had other plans than being a good student. So fine, fuck her and her terrible life decisions. And since Max seemed to be pretty intent on shacking up with the bad-girl, it wouldn't be long before her and her freckles and her indie music would be out of her hair for good. Just like Rachel Amber. Well good riddance to the lot of them.

All this and more flitted through her mind as she worked on one of her various projects late at night. The only thing capable of shocking her out of it was a knock at her door. It wasn't one of her minions, none of them knocked so softly. And no one else could possibly want to bother talking to her. Huffing impatiently, she finally caved and got up, going to the door, and throwing it open.

And of-fucking-course, there stood Blackwell's Angel herself, only freshly returned from her stint in the hospital. She gave a slight gasp before attempting to resume her usual un-amused stare with pursed lips – though there was a slight glow in her cheeks that she completely ignored. "Marsh... Um, what can I do for you?" So far, Victoria had been able to keep an eye out for anyone talking shit on Kate without the girl actually being around. But now that she was back at school, it was harder to ignore what she'd been doing.

"Do you have a second? I promise it won't take long." Kate reached across herself, rubbing her right arm with her left hand.

Was Kate Marsh here to tell her off finally? Well, Victoria certainly knew she deserved it. Frankly, she wasn't sure she could handle it. Anyone else giving her attitude would have been chewed out first. But not Kate. Never Kate. She felt bad enough already, she wasn't sure she could ever drop another attitude bomb on her again.

But she didn't look angry. She looked sad, which wasn't exactly anything new, but like... guilty sad. What in the hell was happening? Her curiosity got the better of her and she stepped aside, allowing Kate to walk past her into her dorm. A whiff of delightful perfume hit her, vanilla and rose. _Focus, Chase, just let her say her peace and then get back to work._

This seemed like the kind of thing that needed the utmost privacy, so she quickly shut and locked the door. She offered her bed to Kate and took a seat once more at her desk, turning to look at her, still not totally sure where this was headed.

For a while they just sat there, Victoria staring at Kate, Kate staring at nothing. She continued slowly rubbing her arm, seemingly afraid of even glancing in Victoria's direction. _Oh. My. God. Is she gonna confess some kind of weird guilty lesbian crush on me? Why would your brain go there first? Victoria, how do you keep ending up in these situations?_ Of course her self-entitled guess turned out to be way off the mark.

"Victoria, I wanted to apologize..."

 _Wait, what?_ Victoria's brain was fried. She absolutely hadn't seen that coming. "Wait, what?" She couldn't process what in the world would make Kate think that she had anything to apologize for. This total reversal was enough to leave Victoria sitting there with a stunned look on her face.

"It's okay, you don't have to accept it or anything. The important first step is just that I can finally admit that I wronged you and others." Kate still hadn't moved from her position on the bed, still rubbing her own arm reassuringly, still staring off into space. "I was so selfish. Standing up on that roof, I had thought... Well, I thought that once I landed, and it would be all over, and peaceful. But I also thought, that will show them. They'll be sorry. I can't believe that was almost my last thought in the world..."

Normally, when Victoria got angry at Kate, it was because she was spouting some hypocritical nonsense or trying to get everyone to stop fucking. She was still angry, but this time at whoever it was that taught Kate the things she parroted. Yeah, fine, suicide was a sin, but she hadn't committed suicide! And she had some nasty, but entirely justified, thoughts about the people on the ground. But _she_ was apologizing to _Victoria_? This would not stand.

Victoria leapt to her feet, startling the poor girl on her bed. "No!" Kate wriggled slightly, unsure what to do with herself, though at least she was now looking in Victoria's direction. "No, Kate. I... I should be apologizing to you! I should be apologizing to you three times a day, every day, for the rest of my life! Considering the only thing you wanted was for me to... to learn my lesson. You were as much a saint up on the roof as you ever have been!" Victoria crossed her arms along her chest and glared at Kate, somewhere between enraged and embarrassed. This really wasn't how she pictured her apology going.

Making things even worse was that Kate wasn't saying anything back. And then, worst of all, she started to cry softly. "Oh, shit, d-don't do that, I hate crying. C'mon, seriously... Kate. Kate!" She sat ungracefully on the bed next to her and rested a hand against her shoulder. "I... forgive you? Even if I don't really understand, please, just stop crying." Hesitantly, totally unsure of herself, she began to rub her back gently.

Despite Victoria's pleas being rather pathetic, Kate did finally manage to stop herself from totally breaking down. "I heard you've been... like... a-avenging me or whatever. I could hardly believe it."

As quickly as she had reached out, Victoria withdrew her hand and resumed her previous stand-offish posture, arms crossing again. "Don't get used to it. Soon enough I'll have some new target and I won't have time to be your guardian angel." This was little more than a joke to avoid the fact that they were almost having A Moment here. "If you don't mind me asking, what's the deal with asking _me_ for forgiveness?"

"My pastor visited me in the hospital, and we talked for a while. I told him everything, and before he left, he made some suggestions for what I should do. Apologizing to all the people I was angry at, all the guys at the party I led on and made out with, that kinda thing."

"Hey, do me a favor. Don't do that." Victoria said, harsh and cold, but also oddly affectionate. "I don't know who else you've talked to, but maybe skip the rest of the list. **We** were in the wrong. Every single one of us who had anything to do with putting you up there. So you keep on working and learning and doing your adorable drawings and..." _Shit, I'm not supposed to know this stuff._ "Um, and whatever else it is you do. And you prove you're better than all of them, even me. You're Kate Goddamn Marsh. Wait, sorry. Um, you get what I mean, yeah?"

Unexpectedly, Kate's arms wrapped tightly around Victoria, and she found herself pulled into a tight hug, the kind of embrace she got rarely, if ever. It was kinda nice. Sorta warm. And she tried very, very hard to not think about that. "Thanks, Victoria. I'm glad I talked to you first..." Without another word, Kate was gone, back toward her own room presumably. And Victoria was left alone sitting there on her bed, face still burning.

"What. The fuck."


	3. Steeped in Drama

Kate breathed a deep sigh of relief as her final class of the week ended. After talking about it for what felt like the hundredth time, she and Max finally made actual plans to go on a tea date. Not that Kate didn't already take every available opportunity to indulge her tea fixation. But it was far better getting some with a friend. There was a place you could get to easily from the bus stop just outside The Two Whales, but she still had a few free moments and ended up stopping by her room. She liked to check up on Alice whenever she could, and it seemed like maybe she ought to change.

She wasn't sure exactly why this thought occurred to her, but lately she was really trying to not over-think everything. Something about what Victoria said got her feeling like maybe it was time to stop wearing herself thin by obsessing over each and every detail.

Her heart told her to change into something more casual, so she went with it. Out with the skirt and blouse, up with the floppy hoodie and jeans. Kate most definitely felt comfortable now. The perfect attire to go with warm tea and cool, late-October weather. She turned up to the coffee shop early and found herself a spot to collapse while she waited. She flicked through her phone idly, re-reading bits and pieces of her text messages with Max, unaware she was smiling rather broadly at the moment.

Max. Her hero. Her best friend. Her tea date. She was excited, eager to sit together, sipping tea and talking about anything and everything, so long as it didn't relate to rooftops and viral videos.

She saw a shock of sandy hair pass by the shop's front window, and a moment later she was up on her feet and being drawn into a tight hug. "There she is! Katie Marsh, look at you, all dressed down! It's a good look for you" Kate flushed and beamed, unsure what to say.

"It... seemed appropriate. Come on, this place has a ridiculous list of available teas. It could take us a while to decide." She buried her hands in the front pocket of her hoodie and stepped up to the register. As promised, it did take the two some time to choose. Max was feeling bold and decided to try a rooibos tea while Kate went with a delicious berry green tea. After some messing about with honey and cream, they reclined on a pair of leather chairs and got comfy, grateful that the coffee shop was mostly empty.

With just one sip, Max was hooked. "OMG, this is hella good!"

Kate giggled brightly and cradled her cup as a means of warming herself. "That friend of yours has really been rubbing off on you, huh?" Unaware that her word choice had been perhaps a little too apt, she could only watch, mystified as Max's face bloomed. "Or... maybe not? I'm sorry, I didn't mean to open any wounds or anything. Are you fighting?" She watched Max fiddle with her own cup for a little while, unable to process how in the world she'd managed to wreck their tea date with a single question. "You don't have to tell me. I don't mean to pry..."

Max continued to think for a moment before finally smiling at Kate, and she felt herself start to calm down. That was not the smile of someone who was fighting with her best friend. It looked more like...

"Oh my goodness, Max! Come on, you can't leave me hanging. I'm desperate for positive gossip that isn't about me~"

"Well, it's... I-It's nothing against you, Kate. I'm not really sure how much I'm allowed to say." There was a moment of contemplation as Max made her decision. "I'm sorry, you're my best friend, you deserve to know. I was... um... a little out of it the other week, and I confessed my feelings to Chloe..."

"Oh..." Kate felt a strange mixture of feelings wash over her. She wanted to be happy for Max, God above, how she did. If anyone deserved a good turn, it was her hero. But for some bizarre reason, her heart sank. Just a little, but enough that Max seemed to notice that something was off.

"Is that alright?" Kate jumped ever so slightly and quickly hid behind her cup of tea. Did Max know something that even she didn't?

"Of course it's alright! It's great! Why wouldn't it be?" She fiddled with her cup now, unsure where all this anxiety was coming from.

"You're happy for me, but you're conflicted. I get it. Christianity has a rather notorious stance on this stuff. You wanna support me without disregarding your beliefs."

Oh. Right! Yes. Of course, that was why she was feeling so odd. Well, no trouble, she wasn't terribly good at that whole judgment thing. "I-I guess, but when it's your best friend, there's no time for all that confusing nonsense. I mean, look at you, you're glowing! But then... what's the trouble?" Yes, keep the conversation away from her. That was best. Don't think too hard. Just go with it.

"Well, Chloe's... She's her own person. She hates labels, except the ones that she ascribes to herself. So she's very hesitant to ever be 'girlfriends' except when it makes someone leave us alone. Like Warren or her mom. And at first, I was like, yeah, right on, we're totally on the same wavelength. But... I'm not so sure anymore. She has a lot of work left to get over Rachel Amber."

"Chloe knew her?" It seemed like Max needed to vent, and Kate was trying hard to let her unleash, but there was a lot that she really didn't know. Poor Max suddenly seemed embarrassed.

"Er, from what I understand, and what little she's let slip... It's more like she _knew_ her. Like in the Biblical sense. And I'm really not sure how the hell you compete with a dead girl who was much beloved by everyone."

"Oh Max, I'm so sorry. I can't imagine what that must feel like." _Yes you can... Shut up!_ There seemed to be a bit of a battle waging in the back of Kate's mind. So she wasn't entirely sure how she was suddenly holding Max's hand all of a sudden. Both girls were blushing now and trying to pretend this was a totally normal moment. "More than anything else, the two things you most need are patience and communication." It was taking a lot of concentration to actually ignore her instincts and provide Max with some honest advice. "Help her mourn. Be there for her. And remember that however much energy Chloe put into trying to find Rachel Amber, she'll eventually be able to put that much energy into loving you. And when you're ready, just... ask her."

Max was starting to cheer up again, so why did Kate feel like such garbage? Deep down, she knew precisely why, but she wasn't ready to actually face it.

"Thanks Kate. I'm sorry for dumping all this stuff on you. This was supposed to be about us." Their hands finally separated again and they resumed their previous posture, snuggled up in their chairs.

 _Yes it was, Max Caulfield, and I'm very angry with you, and you're going to have to pay me back with hundreds of kisses!_ "No way, this is exactly what I needed... Girl-talk, relationship advice, whining about stuff. I needed normalcy." Kate could feel herself retreating into her hoodie, and she knew that was a bad idea. Everyone, particularly Max, was still on high alert. There hadn't been nearly enough time since the incident on the rooftop for anyone to forget. She wasn't a fan of having all eyes on her, especially since that was what got her into trouble in the first place. She wanted to retreat, and that only made Max all the more dedicated to checking up on her. Kate loved that as much as she hated it, especially now.

Still, she'd managed to keep it together, enough to stop Max from worrying. They returned to talking about classes, wondering how in the hell they were going to keep taking photography class without the key component that was Mr. Jefferson. Her heart and mind finally stopped battling, and the rest of their tea date went by quietly.

Ever the perfect hero, Max offered to walk Kate back to campus. She rattled off something about wanting another cup of tea and some quiet time with a good book that she didn't even have on her. But Max seemed eager to get back to campus and to talk to Chloe, so she headed off, after one last hug. Kate was tempted to latch on and not let go, but that would have been disastrous. Patience and communication. So she waited a good fifteen minutes, and then took the bus by herself back to Blackwell.

She had managed to make it to her room, shutting the door and collapsing on her bed when the emotional weight finally tore through her.

She couldn't say for sure how long she just lay there sobbing, hating herself for a lot of different things. So she had no clue what time it was or how many people must have walked by worrying about her when someone finally knocked at her door. She wasn't even totally sure how long they must have been knocking before she finally managed to get up and open the door.

But above all, she hadn't expected to see Victoria standing there, looking at her with genuine concern.

 **[I am so completely sorry for yet another cliffhanger! I keep trying to write simple one-shot type stories, but the characters have a way of behaving on their own that completely defies both the canon within the game and the canon I've tried to build here. So yeah, get ready for a lot more drama next time]**


	4. The Thrill of the Chase

Kate was still trying to come down from her emotional high – or... up from her emotional low. The point was, she didn't really have the energy to try and combat Victoria's entrance, nor to think too hard about how odd this was. Just a few weeks ago, the thought of this girl sitting next to her on the edge of her bed would have been cause for alarm. Now, though, it was almost comforting. Almost.

"Who hurt you, Kate? Who do I have to bitch-smack now?" Kate wiped awkwardly at her eyes, smearing her make-up. Victoria moved to her desk and returned with a tissue, carefully helping to wipe it away before she ended up looking like a sad raccoon. "I'm serious. As long as I've got this new reputation to uphold, I might as well do it right. Just tell me, and I'll end it before it gets any worse." Even though she spoke with a brusk tone, her hands were soft and moved with a kindness Kate didn't think Victoria capable of.

"Victoria, it's Friday evening. You must surely have something better to do than waste your time with me." Kate was trying hard to run damage control before she actually dumped all her stupid feelings in the blonde's lap. There was still a part of her that was unsure about giving her too much ammunition. But she also wasn't ready to be too open to anyone. However, her attempt to defuse the situation only made Victoria make that terrifying face at her. The one that said she was not only angry, but disappointed and tempted to walk away.

"Even I require a night alone, now and then. But it's hard to enjoy myself when you're clearly having a drama fest here alone." And there it was, those crossed arms, that standoffish posture that told her this was clearly all about getting Kate to shut the hell up, and nothing more.

"I'll try to keep it down..."

"I can't have this getting worse. A girl needs her beauty sleep. So just give me the target and I can get out of your hair." Victoria huffed, and Kate noticed that despite her attitude, Victoria actually didn't seem to be interested in leaving. There was the usual impatience, but she stood her ground, not even eyeing the door. Was it genuine concern? Ugh, this was becoming too much confusing drama for one day.

She couldn't tell Victoria it was Max's fault, since that most definitely wasn't the case. The thing was, the only person causing poor Kate any trouble was Kate herself. And she didn't need Victoria getting physically violent with her. Though that seemed unlikely. Snapping fingers in front of her face drew her out of her thoughts and she came back to attention. "This isn't really something you can fix. I'm just being a drama queen."

"No, Kate, being a drama queen is sexting someone's boyfriend just because you like causing chaos. You seem to be in legitimate trouble." Victoria's arms slowly uncrossed and she leaned back, propping herself up with her hands behind her. She stared at the ceiling, thinking to herself a moment. "Fine, if I can't protect you from the shadows, then I guess I have to go the whole nine yards with this. Out with it."

Kate pushed back until she was propped up by the wall, and grabbed her pillow, idly looking for something to snuggle up to. She was still trying to avoid the exact truth, mostly for her own sake. "I went to get tea with Max..."

"Woah, Hipster McSelfie's the one who has you in knots? I thought you two were besties!"

"No, it wasn't her! No, not... Um. She confessed that... Oh, darnit, I can't... It's not my place."

Victoria sat back a little as well, turning to actually face Kate. "Here..." she said bashfully, and held out the pinky of her right hand. "Pinky swear, the most sacred of bonds between teenage girls or whatever. I won't tell a soul. No matter what."

Of course the actual act of a pinky swear didn't hold much water with either of them, not really. They'd grown out of that stuff years ago. But the fact that Victoria was offering it felt oddly important, though Kate didn't know why. She hesitantly stuck out her hand and linked her little finger with Tori's. They held the miniature embrace just a second longer than was really necessary before breaking apart.

"So... She told me that she and Chloe... um..."

Kate didn't have to say anymore before the other girl gave a loud laugh and a little fist pump. "Augh, I knew it! I thought she had to be lurking around here for a reason." She stopped herself and seemed to realize this wasn't the end of the story. Right. Kate sad. "Sorry..."

"Anyway, I was happy for her. And then I... wasn't." Kate began fiddling with her cross necklace again. It was one of those obvious tells she couldn't break herself of. Not that it mattered, it was already obvious she was upset.

This was an unexpected twist, and Victoria sat up a little. "Okay~ Well, I guess the obvious question, if you don't mind me getting to the point: Are you jealous of the punk or the hipster?"

"What?" Kate felt her face start to burn almost immediately, and she buried it in the pillow she was cuddling, as if Victoria hadn't already seen her blush.

Victoria watched in amusement, trying to ignore how utterly adorable Kate was being at the moment. Now was not the time for her fucked up, embarrassing day dreams. "If you want, you can just lie and say 'neither'. And I can leave you alone for the night. I... can respect a need for privacy." Despite offering to leave, Victoria remained firmly planted in her spot on the bed, just watching Kate carefully. Yes, she was not only her one-woman defense squad, but she was also firmly in the "Never let Kate end up on the roof again" camp.

Kate was still adamantly refusing to say any more, and Victoria thought that it might possibly be time for some drastic measures. "But you could also say the answer is 'both'. I could sympathize with that" _If this doesn't work, I'm fucked. I just admitted out loud that I have a big dumb idiot crush on stupid Max and her stupid punk-ass girlfriend._ Suddenly Victoria was also feeling a desperate need to cuddle something. But she was too far from the pillows, and Kate was the only one within arm's reach. And any attempt to cuddle her would likely end poorly. Jesus, why was she getting so horribly mushy? She was an ice queen dammit!

"I dunno~" came the muffled reply from the pillow hiding Kate's face. Victoria just barely managed to hold back the urge to laugh.

"Fair enough, that works too. Look. Max Caulfield is... different. And no matter how hard I tried to hate her, she turned out to be kinda sorta okay sometimes. And I guess the punk thing works on some people. Whatever. So what." She tried desperately to maintain her aloof attitude, but even she got just a tiny bit anxious and melty, finally saying these things out loud. She was just as grateful for the pinky swear as Kate. This stuff could never be heard by another soul. Ever.

"I don't think it will come as any surprise that I don't like drama. I think I just need to get over myself. They deserve to be happy. This will probably pass." Her face had finally removed itself from the pillow, but she was still clinging to it like a lifesaver. "I've caused enough trouble to last a lifetime."

Victoria was feeling desperate. She needed to get away from this stress. All this nerd drama was too much to bear. And the more Kate spoke, the more it made her think things she just didn't want to deal with. But she couldn't leave Kate alone without giving her at least a little something to ease her woes. "Hey, I don't want to sound like a broken record, but... Maybe try not to worry about it so much. You're planning five moves ahead. Trust me, I'm the expert when it comes to playing chess with real-life people. And it doesn't end well. Sometimes, you get surprised. You can't predict everything." Victoria swallowed, watching her step carefully, looking to avoid any mines, wanting to reach the other side of this conversation in one piece.

"So, like... Don't imagine you know everything that will ever happen. Maybe Max feels the same as you. Maybe Chloe could learn to share the love. Maybe you'll end up dating a football player. Maybe Daniel will do an amazing sketch of you and you'll fall head over heels for him. People are weird and unpredictable and scary.

"We're here to learn and possibly have a little fun in the process." Though she had just given an entire schpeal about not making too many plans, she felt one pop into her head and couldn't help herself. "Come with me to Dana's Halloween party. She won't be happy unless the entire Blackwell student body is there. I'll help wing-woman for you. Get you a cute costume, make sure you get a dance in with Maxine, see where things go, y'know?"

This whole day felt so completely ridiculous, but this was most certainly the cherry on top. Victoria wanted to take Kate partying. She wanted to help her hook up with her best friend. It was all a bit much, and Kate nodded her head before she thought too much about it. "...but I get final say on the costume. I won't go as a... a slutty bumblebee or whatever..."

Victoria actually had a decent laugh at that and she slipped gracefully off Kate's bed. "I solemnly swear, Katie, you will be beautiful. You'll be beating them off with a stick, whoever 'them' happens to be." Even Kate allowed herself a little bashful giggle as Victoria left.

She felt better. She felt hopeful. She also felt very, very confused.


	5. A Love Polygon

Chloe swaggered into the Blackwell gym with a cocky grin. Tonight, the pirate captain and her first mate ran in style. It had taken a bit of work, but they'd managed to gather all the pieces they needed in time for Dana's Halloween party. She'd managed to find a jaunty tricorn hat that she outfitted with various bits and pieces, and a cool jacket that looked rather pirate-y after some work. She'd managed to convince Max to rock a pair of short-shorts and some stripey leggings and a headscarf.

They made quite a pair, and that was rather the idea. She continued to be rather avoidant when it came to the subject of their specific relationship. She usually just gave up some line about how she hated labels, but she wasn't stupid, and neither was Max. The silent agreement was that she needed to work out her... feelings for Rachel or whatever. But that kinda shit took ages for her. Max was patient, but only just. So perhaps this was her way of apologizing and trying to make it more obvious they were _together_ -together.

She could tell Max wasn't really comfortable with the costume, but she enjoyed wearing it for the one person that mattered. They held hands adorably and moved about, grabbing punch and chatting with a few people as they adjusted to the loud music and flashing lights. Unlike that garbage "End of the World" party, this one was much more low-key. No Vortex Club bullshit, no VIP section, just a regular old party.

Warren was hanging with Brooke, and Chloe could only assume they were in a couples' costume as well – thank Christ, both of those nerds were so needy, it was good they could cling to one another. Only via Max could she confirm her suspicions that they were in a paired costume, since it mostly just looked like Warren in a bow tie and Brooke in a fucked up ballgown. Some Doctor Who shenanigans. She sure as hell didn't get the reference.

She was also given a moment of pause when she noted that the lady of the evening, Dana looked like a prince, her friend Juliet like a princess. "Oh my god, Romeo and Juliet. This whole school is nothing but fucking nerds! Even the cheerleaders!"

"Be nice, I think it's cute!" Max giggled, pressing close to her, never letting go of her arm. "Do you think it means something, or am I reading too much into things?"

"C'mon Mad Max, golden rule. If You Think They're Fucking, They're Fucking. Good for them!" Chloe gave her best hearty laugh like a true brigand. She was just about to pull Max out to the dancefloor when something very, very weird caught her eye. She'd only met Kate once or twice, enough to recognize the girl on sight at least. But she had never seen her looking so free. She'd come as an angel, complete with wings, halo, and her usually strict hairdo let loose. "Who do you think would actually have the pull to convince Kate Marsh to-" She stopped dead, as did Max, when their path of travel brought her dance partner into view.

"Chase? That can't be right... What... How the... Fucking... _What?_ " Chloe tried with all her might to believe that her eyes were deceiving her, but that was most definitely Victoria, in a devil costume of her own, horns and all. She wasn't necessarily up on Kate or anything, but they had definitely come here with one another.

The blue-haired pirate was still trying to decipher what this fuckery was when Kate caught sight of Max and dashed up, immediately pulling her first mate off her, giggling like the kind of girl who'd done some pre-gaming. "Come on, dance with me, Max!" The two disappeared into the crowd before she could do anything. Fine, best to deal with this head-on anyways. She made a bee-line for Victoria, who was oddly compliant, and dragged her to the quietest corner she could find that was devoid of students. "What the **fuck** is your damage, Victoria? I heard you were doing better, ditching the bitchy princess act, looking out for her! Come to find out, you've got her drugged again. Jesus Tapdancing Christ, I should have known it was too good to be true!"

Victoria pointed a finger in her face and it took every fiber of her being not to snap it right off her hand. "Look, Price, it was a shot of Rumplemintz, and she asked for it. I'd love to continue arguing with you, but we have a serious issue and it affects all of us!" Victoria paused, seeming to rethink her phrasing. Well, she was certainly intrigued now. "Katie... Um, Kate. Kate has the hots for your hipster waif girlfriend. Like... bad."

"And you let me leave them alone?" Chloe couldn't possibly imagine the day she'd be angry at Kate – or threatened by her, for that matter.

"I would have, but **somebody** dragged me away before I could stop you! Besides, it's Kate and Max. It would take them six months of continuous dancing to start bumping and grinding."

 _Shit, excellent points._ "Okay, so... What the fuck? And why are you inserting yourself into the situation?" To her surprise, Victoria quickly lost her fire and began to look rather embarrassed. "Ho. Ly. Shit. She wants Max and you want her! Oh-hoh my god, and here I thought tonight was gonna be boring!"

She was really expecting Victoria to start parrying and riposting, but she just continued to stand there looking like a goof. "You won't say anything, will you? We're barely even friends. I'm not trying to complicate her life. Honestly, I'm just trying to fix things. All that matters to me right now is that she doesn't get drawn into some weird drama bullshit."

Chloe really had no idea this side of Victoria even existed. She wasn't a good enough actress for this to be a ruse. She was straight-up crushing on Kate. It might have been adorable if it weren't also disturbing as hell. Kate was drunk, Victoria was blushing, Dana was hanging on Juliet's arm like a wallflower, and Weirdo Warren had a hot girlfriend. She kind of thought that Max losing her powers meant an end to the weirdness, but Arcadia Bay always managed to surprise. Chloe glanced across the dancefloor and caught sight of the pirate and the angel dancing together. She expected to feel a sense of indignation, of jealousy, of anything other than the warm fuzzies that hit her instead.

Chloe vaguely understood all the bullshit Max had to go through. She had traveled through time and had even seen other fucking realities. For the first time, she understood what that was like. Because she knew Max wouldn't dare leave her side. Chloe herself still had feelings for a girl that wasn't even alive. And yet she could see the spark that also existed between her own girlfriend (or... whatever) and the Saint of Blackwell. It was... cute. Oddly cute. All the rage she was used to experiencing was nowhere to be found, and the wheels in her head were working overtime trying to make it make sense.

"I'm going to suggest something. And you're probably not going to like this." Chloe said, with a very hesitant and not-at-all confident tone. "We're meddlers. We meddle. It's how we stay sane, like we have any control in this fucked up world. I-I think... We need to let this play out naturally?"

"You're right. I don't like it. What the hell's your angle, Price?" Victoria was clearly dubious, and Chloe could hardly blame her.

"The same as yours, Princess. Inexplicably, I want to see someone besides myself be safe and happy. And Kate Marsh is pretty much the only person I can imagine letting close to Max without feeling like I wanna rip their head off."

Now it was Victoria's turn to look out across the dancefloor, and it seemed that she was approaching the same conclusion. Through all the bullshit, the two had managed to come out the other side as beautifully innocent as ever. They were finally letting loose and having fun.

"I'm not saying we push them together in some kind of weird plot. Just, y'know... Let them have their tea dates and whatever. And if they decide they want to be adorable together, then, fuck it, whatever, y'know?" Chloe was really trying here, reaching and stretching for some unnameable thing. Was there even a name for what she was talking about? It felt insane.

"No, I really don't know, Chloe. What are you getting at?" The question may have come out in that natural Victoria tone, she was as intrigued as she was mad.

"I don't know, okay! I still haven't gotten used to the idea of calling Max my girlfriend, alright? Like always, I just follow my gut. And sometimes my gut is a bastard, and sometimes it gets things right. I'm just talking out of my ass here. But frankly? I'm fucking sick of drama. I'm tired of fighting. I don't even have the energy to pester David most days."

That burst of honesty seemed to strike a chord with the blonde as well and her face softened. "I know what you mean. You grow up way too fast when you realize you've been fawning over a killer." Victoria pulled the horns from her head and ran her fingers through her hair. "So what now?"

"Shot in the dark, but Max and Kate will come pester us. We'll head out to the floor and dance our very lovely asses off for a while, get exhausted, and go crash somewhere. Max will feel slightly guilty, Kate will think she's a sinner and a homewrecker, and our only jobs will be to comfort them until this shit sorts itself out." Snide attitude aside, it was weirdly nice to have a game plan set up.

"I wish I had the kind of faith you do..."

"Kate's the one who believes in a higher power. I only believe in one thing..."

"...Max. Yeah yeah, no need to turn into a giant sap. I get it."

Almost on cue, there they were. The First Mate and the Angel. As predicted, Victoria and Chloe were dragged out to the dancefloor, and they joined in eagerly for a few numbers, grateful to finally get some of their nervous energy out.

Suddenly the beat shifted dramatically, and a slow number came on. Chloe was pulled into Max's tight grip almost immediately. Kate was beginning to lose her excited, tipsy attitude, and could only be coaxed into a dance when Victoria offered her a hand. The four girls moved in slow, paired circles. Max and Kate were the first to catch glances, each immediately looking away from the other and blushing heavily. Chloe and Victoria were next, and they shared awkward but slightly hopeful smiles. As the song came to an end, Chloe and Max shared a brief kiss. Victoria saw the look on Kate's face and began to understand what Chloe had been going on about.

She lifted Kate's hand to her lips and kissed her knuckle tenderly.

"Wh-What was that for?"

"You're a saint, Kate Marsh. I think you've earned a little romance, even if it's with your sworn enemy."

She saw a look of surprise pass over her face, followed swiftly by a look of indignation. "Tori! I'd hope you would at least think of me as a friend by now..."

"Seems like I don't really have a choice."

Some time later, an exhausted captain and her weary first mate wandered into Max's dorm room and began shedding their costumes in favor of some comfy pajamas. As they settled into bed, Max finally seemed ready to tackle the elephant in the room. "What's the deal, Chlo? You've had this look of smug satisfaction all night!"

"It's probably nothing, Mad Max. I guess I'm just excited for the future." Max seemed unconvinced, but too tired to push any further.

"Very well, keep your secrets, Captain Price. I'll get them out of you some day..."

"I know you will, dear."


	6. Captain Chloe's Expanding Ship

Finally, thank Dog, things seemed to calm down around Arcadia Bay. The animal life was back to normal, the students were getting into their routines once more, a series of guest photographers were brought in to teach Jefferson's class. Max was finally starting to feel a little normal. Despite how weird Kate had been for a little while there, she remained a steady friend, and they were getting into a lovely routine of getting tea together every Friday. Chloe was weirdly okay with letting her girlfriend hang out with another female for a few hours a week, and there was no denying that Max might have maybe felt just a tiny bit guilty about that.

Speaking of weird, her best friend had also seemed to be spending quite a lot of time with Victoria lately. Hell, even Max had been allowed to crash with her out on the front lawn of Blackwell once in a while, and it had been kind of okay.

Max was actually getting into a nice pattern, even with some of the odder elements. She was happy.

And yet...

And yet there were troubles too. The more tea dates she went on, the more she felt this niggling sensation that she had jumped on the Chloe Train too soon. Had she chosen wrong? She loved Chloe so much, but she also loved her dear friend Kate. And there were times where she couldn't tell exactly what kind of love she felt for her. Only that she loved their afternoons together, sitting together, sipping tea, talking about anything and everything. It made her warm and happy. That meant something, right?

There was always drama, wasn't there? Even as things changed, they stayed the same.

It was late November, the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. Max got a call from Chloe while she was attempting to sleep in, enjoying her miniature vacation. Groaning and groggy, she fumbled for her phone and pulled it into her little cocoon. "Chluu...? Wha's do? Nee' help?"

There was an amused chuckle on the other end of the line. "Dude, it's almost one in the afternoon. I know I'm not exactly one to talk, but please tell me you're not gonna get angry at me for calling you past 12:00."

"Nah. Jus' tired. What's going on?" Had it been earlier in the morning, perhaps she would have gotten frustrated. But her bluenette ladyfriend had a good point. "Is everything okay?"

"Things are a little tense at Casa de Price-Madsen. Would you be okay just doing like... a totally not at all Thanksgiving type thing? Besides, something something Native Americans something colonial imperialism something hipster nerd bullshit."

Even dead-tired, Chloe had a way of being simultaneously sweet and disaffected that hit all the right notes. She giggled sleepily and finally managed to at least get to a seated position. "So what's the call, Chinese food and crappy movies?"

"It's like you read my mind, Super Max." Max beamed, impressed with herself for being able to see what she was getting at while barely awake.

She had various things to take care of that evening, but she was looking forward to the next day. It wasn't the most impressive of dates, but it was some time just for themselves, and that was exciting. Max loved Thanksgiving, but not enough to trek all the way back to Seattle to spend barely two days with her family. Christmas was coming soon and that would be more than enough time to catch up. She would need a few days to work up the courage to tell them about Chloe. No doubt they would be thrilled. Her father seemed like exactly the kind of person that would try to claim that he had 'called it'.

She spent Thursday morning trying to straighten up her dorm a little bit, though she knew it was pointless since Chloe lived in such a disaster zone herself. Regardless, her room was more bearable now, Lisa was fed, and she just had to wait for Chloe to turn up. Around three, her door opened without so much as a knock, and there stood the blue-haired girl with plastic bag and cheeky smile. "Rude, much. You can't knock before striding in here?"

"Oh, yeah, because you have so many secrets to keep from me Maxine..." Ugh, that name. She didn't even give Chloe the satisfaction of responding.

"What if I was working on a surprise for you?" Max was reaching here, not so much to continue their playful banter as to hide the fact that she kinda did have a secret or two to hide. But she was really trying hard to avoid drama these days. Things were quiet, and she loved that.

"There is no hiding from me, Caulfield. The Amazing Chloe knows all..." She settled herself onto the floor and leaned back against Max's bed, starting to unpack all the food she'd brought with her. It was no turkey and stuffing, but she'd apparently splurged and brought quite the feast with her. "Dig in, Mad Max!"

The day went as planned and it was utterly perfect. With full bellies they settled in to watch a few movies. But rather than their normal dates where they inevitably passed out in the early evening, both girls found they were feeling a little restless and decided to bundle up and take a little walk around Blackwell. With winter well on its way, there was a real chill in the air, crisp and lovely, and they watched as their breath came out, visible, mingling together. Silent and thoughtful, their footsteps brought them out to the football field where they lay together, looking up at the stars.

Chloe was the first to pipe up. "You know, I still dream about getting the hell out of here. But I guess, sometimes, it's not so bad. But you can never tell a soul I said that."

"Mmm, it has its perks." Their hands were gently linked together between them, just a few fingers really. Max's free hand was resting against her stomach and she moved it in a slow circle to still the fullness in her belly. "Chlo?"

"Yeah?"

Despite clearly needing to get something off of her mind, Max was hesitant to speak again. She felt Chloe grip her hand tighter, and she did her best to focus her mind on all the things they'd been through together since they were kids. Chloe would always be her captain, but just maybe...

"You know, we've sorta had this unspoken pact, to try and avoid drama as much as possible. And it's been going so fucking well, and I sorta feel like... I'm about to really ruin everything forever." The hand just tightened and both girls shifted slightly closer to one another.

Chloe just kept right on clinging to her, and she wasn't sure how it was that someone who was normally such a ball of fury could be so peaceful. "Well, if there's anything I've learned, it's that bottling stuff up is a lot more likely to ruin everything. So drop the nuke, because it doesn't matter. I'm not going anywhere. Speak your mind and we'll sort out the wreckage together." The other girl's strength never failed to impress.

"I like Kate..."

"I know you do." How the hell was she managing to say that so calmly? Wasn't Chloe terrified of being pushed aside? Max sat up, with a mix of complex emotions all over her. Distressed, scared, anxious, worried, all balled up into one.

"No, I _like_ Kate."

"I said I know, Max. I'm not blind." Okay, now Max was starting to feel an overwhelming sense of anger. She flipped over so that she was now straddling her, hardly thinking of the implications at a time like this.

"I love you. And I love Kate. At the same time. Doesn't that worry you? Why aren't you freaking out!" Max could feel herself crying and she'd actually begun pounding at Chloe's chest uselessly. And fucking Chloe just lay there, looking at her with this smug face. "What the fuck!"

With one fluid motion, Chloe brought her tumbling back down to the ground, her head pulled against the bluenette's chest, fingers running soothingly through her hair. She let out her stress, finally, weeping openly, vaguely aware that she was getting her gross tears and snot all over Chloe's cool shirt. But she just rolled with it, ever the badass. "You done?"

"I dunno, are you done... being a... jerk?" That was lame, but her energy was nearly gone now. It would have to do. Was this a fight? It didn't feel like one. It felt like a tantrum. Max never imagined there'd be a day that she'd be the one having a fit while Chloe just took it.

"I'm letting the attitude slide because I know this is probably tough for you and you feel racked with guilt. But if I may sum it up in so many words... You're Max Fucking Caulfield. If I thought for a minute you were going to ditch me and hook up with her, I'd murder you. Straight up manslaughter. But you wouldn't. You won't." While it was pretty nice to hear Chloe say that stuff, she still didn't understand what was happening here. It was like they were having two entirely different conversations. The confusion must have been pretty plain on her face, because Chloe continued talking. "What I mean... What I'm trying to say is that... If anyone should get to know you the way I've gotten to know you, it's her. I won't let you leave me, Max. Not ever again. But if you feel like you've gotta... _fuck_ , I don't know, bring someone else along for the ride... Well, there's plenty of room on our ship."

"Cereal...?" _Jesus christ, Max, stop being such a weirdo and get real!_ "Sorry... But. Yeah, you're really serious about this."

"I'm also serious about not letting it screw up what we've got either. Look at it this way, this is your payback for feeling like you had to compete with Rachel Amber even though I was fucking in love with you since we were little kids. It's not the most normal reaction, but you're right, I'm sick and tired of letting drama get in the way of a good thing. It's stupid and I don't have the energy for it. Besides, I saw Kate at that Halloween party. Once you unwind that chick, she's alright. If you're not careful, I might have to have my own _tea date_ with her, if you catch my drift~" Chloe winked at Max and she gave her a playful shove.

"I don't know how, but you've managed to turn the words 'tea date' into the grossest innuendo ever. Besides, she's captain of the no-sex club and devout as hell. What would you two even do together?"

"Who knows, maybe I'll go to church with her sometime?"

"Chloe Price, in church? In a dress? You'd never make it. You'd probably end up cursing out the pastor!" Max giggled brightly and climbed to her feet, pulling Chloe along with her. She fluidly hopped up and wrapped around her shoulders, and Chloe reflexively wrapped around her legs to hold her up.

"Ugh, now I know why we haven't done this since we were kids... You're heavier than you look, Max..."

"Shut up, I am a tiny pixie, a precious waif. A stiff breeze could knock me over..."

She could see with some amusement that Chloe was trying very hard not to make a 'stiff' pun. "Guess you carry all your weight in your amazing ass" she said, delivering a swift smack with a nice, resounding slapping sound.

"Happy Colonial Oppression Day, Chloe..." Max whispered and kissed Chloe on the cheek as her steed began marching them back across campus. Tomorrow was Friday, and she had a lot to think about.


	7. Dreamers of Dreams

It was the middle of the afternoon, the day after Thanksgiving, and Victoria was hiding out inside Courtney's dorm with her and Taylor. Absolutely nothing was going on, and she was starting to fear that life at Blackwell was becoming a little bit too dull. Her minions were passing back and forth a flask of vodka, and something about getting drunk in the middle of the day just seemed so boring. Suddenly her phone went off and she unlocked it to check the message, not really expecting what she got.

"hey its chlo  
max craves the kate  
guess who called it mothafucka!  
xoxo"

Victoria stared at her phone, unaware that she had started to speak out loud. "When the hell did she get my number?"

"Oh my god, who?" Had that been Courtney or Taylor? Whatever, it didn't matter.

"Oh, it's... Um, that blue-haired chick. I gotta go deal with this. If she has my number, who knows how much chaos she could cause!" She was in a hurry to get out of the room and missed the amused, knowing smile that passed between her supposed 'minions'. If only she knew they weren't as brainless as she thought.

As soon as she was safe and secure in her room, she dialed Chloe back. "What the hell, Price? Why am I supposed to be excited about this?" She could hear a bit of traffic in the background. Great, she was driving and talking on her phone.

"Chill out, Tori! You gotta look at this optimistically. The adorable twins could end up dating, and that means Kate's a lot more open than any of us had suspected. We've all said in our own way, we're aiming for the low-drama option." Victoria listened to the insanity coming through the phone speaker and sat down on her bed with a huff. "Come on, Princess Pouty-Pants! Don't you ever in your life just decide it's easier to say 'fuck it' and do whatever the hell you want?"

"No, I gather that's more your style, Chloe." Victoria was trying hard to be her usual self, but there was something vaguely infectious about Chloe's attitude. She wanted to be optimistic. She wanted to support this stupid endeavor. She wanted to see Kate happy. But she also, maybe, sort of, kind of wanted to be the reason she was happy. And maybe she wanted to get to a point where she wasn't so prickly with Max too. With her stupid freckles. Even Chloe had a certain... charm. But this was the kind of stuff that only happened in religious cults! All that polygamy insanity. Was it still polygamy if you were all girls?

"I deal best with results, okay? Let's at least let the little ones finish their tea date before we go making suggestive eyebrows at one another." She hung up before Chloe could say any more and sat there, staring off into space for a moment. "Fuck."

 **…**

"You know what I miss? I miss Kate Marsh playing her violin every day!" the two girls had seemingly become more comfortable with one another and were seated on a couch in the coffee shop as they chatted. "Truthfully, I never got to really listen to it anyway. It was always dulled, coming through the walls."

Ever-bashful, Kate was trying to deflect Max's eager hinting. "I don't know, Max. I'm so rusty. But... Well, there was something I wanted to play at church some day, I guess if you're okay with a few rough notes, I could use you as a test audience?" Max hopped to her feet and gave a small bow.

"My dear Kate, I would be honored!" Without warning, Max took her hand and dragged her friend out into the crisp November air. Already it was rather dim and chilly due to the cloudy skies. But the unexciting weather was no match for Max's sunny attitude. They waited outside the Two Whales and hopped on the bus when it came around. The girls sat side by side, looking out the window.

Kate still wasn't entirely certain what to expect on these tea dates. Sometimes they were so plain and quiet and lovely – little more than warm drinks and light conversation. But sometimes her friend would get a moment of inspiration and pull her along into some whirlwind of activity. As they marveled at the oddly beautiful late-fall weather, Kate suddenly felt it. Max's hand brushed up against her own, just their fingertips at first. She cast a sideways glance at Max, but she was playing innocent.

She was with Chloe, so why was she doing this? Was Max the cheating kind? Kate felt more confused than ever. Rather than encouraging or discouraging, she left her hand right where it was. But Max kept right on pushing her luck until their fingers were interlocked. This time she looked directly at Max with a "what are you doing" face. Max's face was as red as her own, and she just smiled pleasantly at her, as though there was nothing wrong with this.

Kate trusted Max. It was why she'd ended up with these conflicted, stupid feelings in the first place. She was giving her a chance, the sandy-haired hipster had earned as much. But if Max wanted to get close, then it would be rude to make her do all the work. She shifted closer and rested her head against Max's shoulder. It was so comfy. But still that weird guilt nipped at the back of her mind. She wanted this, but never at the expense of someone else. And Chloe seemed like someone she didn't want as an enemy.

They remained attached at the hand until they reached Kate's room. "Okay, um... I haven't practiced this very much. Bear with me." Max sat eagerly on Kate's bed while the other girl stood in the center of her room, violin tucked up against her, hands at the ready. She played through the tune once, with only a handful of slip-ups. Max watched with fascination as Kate seemed to get lost in the moment, and she began to sing along softly.

" _My life flows on in endless song, above earth's lamentation... I hear the real though far-off hymn, that hails a new creation... No storm can shake my inmost calm while to that rock I'm clinging. Though love is lord of heaven and earth... H-How can I keep from singing?_ " There was more, but Kate realized she was losing her nerve and was actually sniffling just a little. She was in the process of setting the violin down and had every intention of telling Max she was worried about where this was going. But the other girl cut her off before she got the chance.

"Katieeee! That was beautiful!" Max's arms wound their way around Kate's shoulders and she was pulled into a tight hug. "You were... beautiful..." To her disappointment, Max let go of Kate and guided her to her bed. "Okay, wait! Wait, I owe you something for that!" In a flash, Max was gone, and then back just as quickly, guitar in hand. She settled into the bed next to Kate and did some light tuning.

"Okay, um... I don't really know any Jesus-y songs... But this one's from a video game and it's really pretty so I hope that's cool..." Kate watched in fascination as Max plucked a series of chords, eyes closing as she began to hum a light tune. She wondered if perhaps this was the same thing Max had just been feeling while she played. While Kate had some experience with singing and actually enjoyed it from time to time, Max was far more inexperienced. But the song had a kind of rustic feel that meshed well with her rough singing style. " _I dig my hole you build a wall. I dig my hole you build a wall. One day that wall is gonna fall. Gon' build that city on a hill. Gon' build that city on a hill. Someday those tears are gonna spill. So build that wall and build it tall cuz we'll be there before too long..._ " Like Kate, she could have gone on, but she was seemingly eager to remove the guitar from between them.

"Oh, Max..." Kate found herself leaning against the wall for support as Max put the guitar aside. "I've never heard you play before. Or sing for that matter. I didn't realize you were so multi-talented..." _Yeesh, Katie, that was awful. You can do better than that!_ "That was so cool~"

Max chuckled bashfully and moved a little closer to Kate, still too nervous to do anything other than hold her hand yet. "You're one to talk, Marsh! You've got the voice of an angel... Tell me you sing in the choir at your church or whatever!" Neither girl was really good with this stuff. But at least they seemed to be on the same wavelength. Still, Kate was unsatisfied. She looked at their linked hands.

"Max, is this okay?" It was hardly the most pointed question, but Max seemed to understand what she meant. And yet, there wasn't a trace of worry in her face. What was Kate missing?

"It's very okay. I know what you're going through. I told Chloe I was feeling confused about... you... She was just so cool and understanding. With this stupid, satisfied, smug look. Like she knew it was coming. I was so mad at first, but mostly just blown away. But, I dunno, I feel like I could ask you the same question!"

"Cuz of the religion thing?" She could almost sort of picture Chloe being okay with these two being more romantically involved. But from what little she'd seen, the bluenette tended to be possessive. Would she really be alright with her and Max being... together? "I mean, as long as you're okay with me not telling my parents or my church, I think Jesus will probably understand~"

"Not that. The other thing. The Victoria thing?" Max looked genuinely concerned. Kate looked genuinely confused. "You two have been getting friendly lately. I didn't want to go making too many assumptions, but..."

Kate gave a dramatic groan, immediately grabbed at her pillow and pulled it in, burying her face in it. She was all-too aware that this wasn't the first time she'd gotten all blushy and tried to hide it. "There's no Victoria thing! ...I don't think? ...I don't know. It's all weird. I'm just trying to survive the rest of this semester."

"That sounds familiar. Chloe and I have both been saying the same thing..." Kate was still hiding, so she couldn't see exactly what Max was up to. It therefore came as a bit of a surprise when the pillow was carefully taken away from her and she was burrowing into Max instead. "Getting away from over-thinking and silly drama. Just enjoying ourselves for once. It's new and scary, but it has it's upsides."

"You really think that's possible? To avoid drama?"

"Not exactly. And we don't really know unless we try. But I believe Chloe. And... well... I'm totally putting a bug in your ear, but seriously, I saw Victoria kiss your hand at Dana's party. You critique each other's work. She watches out for you even more than me! I dunno, it's just a thought." Max smiled and carefully guided Kate to sit up so they could look at each other properly. Kate looked on wide-eyed as Max started to lean forward, eyes closing, lips parted just a little.

She wasn't dumb. Just inexperienced. And since she had actively wiped her memory of any previous instances involving parties and cameras, this would become – for all intents and purposes – her first kiss. With Max Caulfield. Who better to offer it to? She was terrified, sure, but all this talk of freedom and getting away from drama, it was so intriguing. She had already started to lean forward as well, mostly unconsciously. "Max... I-I'm trusting you..." Kate whispered, and finally allowed their lips to meet.

Whatever worries she had disappeared slowly. She was doing it. She was kissing Max Caulfield. On the lips. Romantically. She had feelings for Max Caulfield. She loved her. Her hero. Her guardian angel. Why had she wasted so much time denying it?

Both girls were a little surprised as the kiss deepened. It was still rather chaste, all things considered, but passionate in a way only Kate could pull off. She finally pulled away, out of breath, embarrassed, still uncertain. Wanting more. "So what now?" She glanced away, but a hand at her cheek urged her to maintain eye contact.

"Now we... do whatever we want. We keep going on tea dates. We play music together. We kiss and snuggle and whatever. We'll be best friends or girlfriends or gal pals. I don't have much in the way of solid answers. But I can promise you that if there's something you want, there's a good chance I want it too." It was easy to forget that Max was just a high school student like herself. She'd been so heroic at times, so brave and understanding and clever. But they were only eighteen.

"What about Chloe?" It was maybe an unnecessary question, but she was pleasantly surprised to find Max was willing to answer it.

"For now, I think she's happy to sit on the sidelines and squee over us. In time, I think she'll want to hang out with you more and... Well, it's not right for me to speak on her behalf, but I think even Chloe has a little bit of a crush on the beautiful Kate Marsh. Who can blame her?" They giggled and gently shared an eskimo kiss.

"A-And Victoria?"

"That's up to her. Chloe seems convinced that there's something going on there. I'm tempted to agree. She just needs the right push, maybe?"

Kate played gently with Max's hair and nodded. That was pretty much all she could take for one day. "Would you mind spending the night in a totally platonic and not at all sexual way? A girl still has to have her morals."

 **…**

Victoria was pulled out of her thoughts by the sound of soft music. It didn't sound like Max's usual hipster stuff. Could it be, Kate was actually playing again? Her feet carried her of their own volition out into the hall just as Kate's door closed and now she could hear guitar and more singing. She pressed her ear to the door, able to make out bits and pieces of the conversation. Some of it was too quiet to be discernible. She heard movement from within the room and scampered back to her room, feeling very un-Victoria-like at the moment. After much thought, she texted Chloe back.

"Alright. You win. I'm on board. What do I do?"


	8. Queen to Bishop

The voice of Kate Marsh came through the curtain, soft and trembling. "Tori, are you sure about this? I-I don't know..." Victoria had to resist the urge to go with her gut reaction and roll her eyes. She knew that taking Kate out shopping wouldn't be the easiest thing in the world.

Under the guise of wanting to help her friend get a proper winter coat, the truth was that she just wanted to see Kate in a bunch of cute outfits. But it proved even more difficult than expected. She was afraid of even so much as trying on anything that so much as approached 'risque' which was defined in completely different terms in Kate's head than her own. It took a good deal of pleading and eyelash batting to convince her to try on a cute dress that looked absolutely perfect for her.

"You don't have to buy it, Katie. And it's totally dead here. Just give us a peek and I'll drop it, okay? This is just supposed to be a good time. Right?"

There was a slightly uncomfortable silence, when finally the curtain was pulled back. Rather than emerging, she nervously said "Would you come in here instead?" This somehow managed to be both the best and worst option at the same time.

On the plus side, Victoria would get to see Kate in her new outfit and they would be together inside the small changing room. But, the problem was that they would be together inside the small changing room. Yes, Victoria liked Kate, and she wanted to get closer to her. But she didn't want to trick Kate into that kind of thing! She'd been hesitating a rather long time, and only Kate's voice reminded her that she hadn't actually moved yet. "Would you just get in here already? Before I lose my nerve~" Well, what kind of cruel friend would she be to ignore a request from Saint Marsh herself?

She ducked in through the opening in the curtain and stopped dead as it closed behind her, and she saw Kate standing there looking beautiful and bashful, somehow owning the white sundress only insofar as it completely fit her character. On anyone else it would have been merely pretty. Victoria knew, not even she could pull it off so well. "...K-Kate..."

Shit, she should have said something more articulate! That vague reaction only made her more nervous, and it was obvious she was expecting the worst. "Oh. Sorry. I'm just not used to this kind of stuff."

Victoria moved forward, and just barely managed to stop herself from doing anything more than simply setting a hand on Kate's shoulder. "No, you've got it all wrong. It's perfect. I don't know what I was expecting, but this is seriously like... It's got your name all over it. I'm serious, if you don't buy it, I'm going to, and I'll give it to you for Christmas or sneak it into your closet or something!" Thankfully, that put the smile back on her face, and Victoria watched Kate start to beam. She gently took her hand away and smiled back at her. "Think you've got it in you to try on a few more outfits?"

For a moment, just a split second, she saw something she had never seen before. Kate looked playful, almost sneaky. "Only if you let me pick out some stuff for you too..."

"Deal." After Kate's initial fears, they started to get into the flow of it. Picking out various articles, telling one another how absolutely cute they would look wearing them, disappearing into dressing rooms, emerging, twirling, posing, etc. Though Victoria wished for another dressing room chance, there seemed to be only one and she had missed it. Even if she recognized it was stupid to think she wouldn't have more chances with Kate, that paranoid, lonely part of her was constantly worried Kate would come to her senses and stop hanging out with her.

But she shoved that voice back down deep, as she had to pretty much every day of her life, and kept right on marching. Even with all her complaints, even Kate was walking away from their shopping trip with a modest supply of new clothes, white sundress included. Although 'nothing' happened, Victoria still felt a little like she was walking on air.

They stopped long enough to get some terrible mall pizza before climbing back into Victoria's fancy-ass car to head back to Blackwell. They had been having a great time, but Kate seemed more quiet than normal. The calm before the storm.

"...Tori?"

"What's up, Angel?" It still felt a little strange to use a pet name with Kate, but the girl seemed happy to have it. It felt a tiny bit special, but perhaps that was just her being a huge weirdo as per usual.

"You know how we talked a while back about Max and Chloe?"

Victoria's heart stopped and her breath hitched in her chest. "I do. What about them?"

"Um, well... Max and I kinda... W-We sorta started dating... too... also..." The blonde sort of expected this conversation would happen eventually. She wanted to be happy for Kate, she did, but it was hard to ignore the way the announcement hit her. Where the fuck was Chloe's no-drama world now? Because she was hurting like hell.

"Th-That's... cool, Angel. I'm... I'm happy for you..." Kate clearly noticed her tone, and she visibly panicked.

"Oh! Oh, no, that's not what I... No, that was just... y'know, like the lead-in or whatever. There's more. The 'more' being... that... Well, it's a lot to take in, this idea that people can date more than one person, and it can actually work." It was one thing to feel the pain of worry, that Kate might never be as close to her as she wanted. But somehow it was even worse waiting to see what else she could possibly want to say. "And I sorta thought about it. And we sorta talked about it. And even though this might be kind of sudden and maybe you're not really ready to just all of a sudden be together with us, we, and specifically I, but also 'we' wanted to... ask you out. On a romantic-type date-like sort of thing. Some time."

Kate seemed to be rushing the closer they got to Blackwell, until her words were blending together as Victoria pulled into a parking spot. She was panicking too, but she needed to calm Kate down. "Hey~ Hey, take a breath, Marsh. I'd love to give it a shot." Chloe had sort of been making it clear where the end goal was, but it was still nice to finally have the message delivered officially. Stupid Max with her stupid adorable freckles, and punk-ass Chloe and her ever-changing chromatic hair. And Kate. Lovely Kate. Wonderful Kate. No matter how scary, how could she ever say no? "Is it safe to assume that Chloe already has some grand plan in the works?"

Kate finally started to release her pent up tensions and giggled nervously as she climbed out of the passenger seat with her own bags and they started off toward the dorms together. Victoria would take a proper moment to freak out when she was by herself. For now, it seemed she needed to be casual and calm on Kate's behalf. "She does. Her mother and step-father are taking a short trip to... um... work some things out I guess? Anyway, she's got the house to herself for a few days, so she wants to do a lazy winter break sleepover thing before we all go home for break. Movie marathons and hot cocoa and a big pillow and blanket fort. Cuddling, probably. I should have known how much of a sucker Max is for cuddles."

Now Victoria truly felt light, and as they approached their separate rooms, she paused and gave Kate a kiss on the cheek. "I can't wait."

She was just starting to turn toward her door when she heard Kate reply "Maybe we could practice?" _What the what?_ Victoria turned and glanced back at the other girl, amused by the look of complete embarrassment plastered across her face. She clearly wasn't ready for their little afternoon of fun to end just yet, and she said the first thing that came into her mind. Victoria flashed a smile at Kate, an old one, the kind she used to give back before things went to shit back in October. She felt a little like the old Victoria, all the confidence, none of the bitch. Victoria Lite.

"Practice what, Katie?" It seemed to be working, because Kate was showing her old nervous self, but without the antagonism.

"Cuddling. I have a ton of work to do tomorrow for finals, but I'm free tonight. If you don't have a party to go to or anything..." She did, in fact, have a standing invitation to a party that night. But she didn't give a good goddamn about it. Kate Marsh was standing there looking so bashful and adorable and inviting her for cuddles. What kind of doof would she have to be to say no to that?

"Head on into your room and put on something comfy. I just wanna set my bags down and I'll be over in a sec..." She was on a roll and couldn't help it, giving Kate her best winking kissy face before disappearing into her own dorm. With the door shut and her bags set aside, she took a moment to make good use of her privacy, and allowed herself a momentary victory dance before rushing to pull her phone from her purse.

…

Chloe was reclining on her bed as some soft music played, idly toying with the hair of her sleeping girlfriend when her phone chimed. Not expecting anyone to contact her, she eyed the lock screen with a cocked eyebrow. She chuckled and roused Max with a gentle nudge. "Hey, hipster, wake up. All systems are go."

Max groaned and lifted her head off Chloe's chest with the bare minimum of effort to see what all the fuss was about. There on Chloe's phone she saw the message from Victoria and giggled softly.

"FUCKING FUCK YOU GUYS ARE SO MEAN MAKING KATE BE THE MESSENGER SHE WAS SO TERRIFIED YOU ARE EVIL OKAY WERE GONNA GO SNUGGLE NOW  
= / / / ="

Chloe lay back down and snuggled Max with a dramatic, forlorn sigh. "You Blackwell nerds and your emoji."


	9. Only the Beginning

It had been almost two months since Chloe had promised not to do any major plotting or scheming. Since Dana's Halloween party, there had been a great deal of waiting. Chloe fucking hated waiting. Thankfully she had Max there to keep her entertained, at least when she didn't have classes or tea dates or whatever. And there was something very heartwarming about watching things develop between her and Kate. And she didn't count her various texts back and forth with Victoria as meddling.

Finally, things were progressing. And thank fuck for that. Chloe could only take so much tap dancing around, no matter how cute. The text from Victoria the other night had been the final piece. The green light she had been dying to get.

She never really bothered much with cleaning. Max had a messy side, but Kate and Victoria likely would have problems with the usual state of Chloe's house, and her room in particular. While Joyce and David were packing for their trip, they watched in amazement as Max and Chloe worked like madwomen to get the house in order. "I thought you said you weren't having any parties, hon"

"If you renege on our deal, Chloe, I'm going to-" David was cut short with a heel to his toes.

It didn't go entirely unnoticed that the usually combative and cool Chloe was presently blushing and fumbling to respond. "No! Not a party, just... two friends of ours coming by for a sleepover... You said it was okay! But they're kinda anal retentive, so I just wanna make sure they feel comfortable here"

Well, Joyce knew she couldn't be too angry. Chloe had been loosening up, seemed less directionless, and... well... she had friends! Even if she were planning a party, she didn't want to dash her hopes. She wanted her daughter to have a better life, one free of dead friends and painful isolation. Besides, Max was always there next to her. That tiny girl was the only person capable of reining in Chloe's destructive tendencies. She and Max made eye contact and shared a little nod. "I think you've earned our trust, Chloe. Sorry for interrupting your cleaning session."

Before long, her mother and step... father had finished packing and were on the road. She and Max continued working on cleaning the place up until they had to admit defeat and crash for the night. The next day was mostly spent shopping for snacks and getting everything set up. Max was bustling about the kitchen making some baked goods, daring to wear one of Joyce's adorable aprons, and Chloe was making up their pillow and blanket fort in the living room.

The sound of the doorbell elicited a sharp squeak from Max, who was clearly feeling a tad nervous. "Hey Mad Max, when you're done freaking out, can you get the door? The fort's in a very precarious position and I can't really spare a free hand!"

Max hurried to answer and opened the door for Kate and Victoria, both clad in their comfiest jammies. Seeing their friend in an apron, Tori burst out laughing and even Kate had to stifle a giggle. "What, I was baking!" Her adorable pouting caused both girls to hug her gently before they were finally allowed into the house.

From the living room Chloe called out again. "Hey, blondie, give us a hand. This structure is threatening to topple" Victoria rolled her eyes at the others and disappeared to help Chloe.

Kate turned to Max and grinned. "Need help in the kitchen?" To this, Max blushed and dug her hands into her pockets.

"No, but you can hang out anyway~" Well, now the both of them were blushing and playfully bumping shoulders.

"You know, I sort of expected we would just be doing chips and salsa and popcorn and stuff. What are you putting all the extra effort into?"

Max continued to blush as she checked on the cookies in the oven. "I just... I want this to be perfect... I even have supplies for proper cocoa that I was gonna fix up next." She closed the oven again and felt Kate wrap around her from behind, hugging her tightly. "Oh, Kate... You just got here, don't tell me you're _already_ getting mushy~" The grip tightened slightly and she could feel Kate's cheek resting against her shoulder.

"Too late. I'm a mass of nerves. This is helping." It sounded a little like a joke, but only insofar as Kate was doing that thing where you tell the truth in a humorous tone.

It took a bit of work to turn with Kate holding her so tightly, but Max eventually wriggled around so she could face her. "Hey, we're all in this together. And if nothing else, you just stick by my side tonight. You're my Kate. I won't let anything happen to you." That eased her just a little and she finally released her.

"And you're my Max." Kate leaned up against the counter and watched as Max slowly went back to work. As promised, along with the cookies in the oven, there was also a pot on top of the range that she added some milk to and set it heating at a low burn.

"Seriously, though. No pressure, no craziness tonight. We're gonna be soft and warm and comfy, and that's about it. No big plans or anything."

"I guess maybe I'm also nervous because, well, I-I know that you and the others enjoy things other than... just cuddling..." Ahhh, that made sense. Max found herself a bit of empty counter space and took a seat, pulling Kate in close again and pecking her forehead.

"Don't worry about a thing. The last thing any of us want is to alienate one another. If anything should happen, you won't be left alone. Never again..." Shit, Max hadn't meant to say that part out loud. Of course that was the unspoken rule, but you weren't supposed to open old wounds so blatantly. But now she'd said it, and at least Kate was still smiling.

…

Chloe, of course, had absolutely no idea what the hell she was doing. Max was good at cooking so she took snack duty. But the bluenette was willing to bet that Max was probably also better than her at pretty much everything, including making blanket forts.

Victoria, for her part, wasn't about to let her off easy for fucking up what should have been a fairly easy process. "You're hopeless, Price..." As was becoming par for the course, Victoria's voice no longer had it's harsh edge. She spoke like someone saying the sweetest words imaginable, but her word choice hadn't exactly caught up. With grace, she undid all of Chloe's precious work and began rearranging chairs and pillows and things to include the couch and floorspace. It was almost a kind of artistry.

"Where the hell did you learn to do this? How did you find the time to learn blanket forts of all things between photography and good grades and shit?" Chloe opted to sit out until she was called upon. Clearly she wasn't needed here. She'd provided the house, so her job was done, after all.

"A Chase is good at anything she puts her mind to, darling. You'll see..." Now she was not only speaking sweetly, but with just a hint of extra honey, practically purring. Precious Kate might not have been so interested in her carnal needs, but Chloe almost certainly was. Even in her pajamas she knew she looked amazing, and Chloe was barely hiding it as her eyes traveled around.

"Yeah, well, that'll have to wait. Tonight, we take it easy. A hella amazing start to our winter breaks!"

"It's gonna be so weird, not seeing you guys for so long!" came Max's voice from behind them, as she emerged from the kitchen bearing all the various treats she'd made, with some help from Kate. They set everything on the coffee table and marveled at Victoria's creation.

"Aw, c'mon, Max, I know you're dying to get rid of me" Chloe said with a smirk and a wink. It quickly disappeared as the sandy-haired hipster pecked her on the cheek.

"Hush. My first New Years I finally have someone to kiss, and you won't even be there!"

" **Someones** " corrected Kate and Victoria simultaneously. There was a burst of nervous laughter as they all settled into their fort. It had been one thing, each enjoying each other's company one-on-one, but this was their first attempt at being a true group together. It was understandably confusing and fumbling as each tried to find the perfect posture that allowed the most connection to everyone else.

They agreed to put on a variety of Christmas specials and movies, mostly so that they wouldn't have to focus too much on the screen. There would be a lot of moving about, getting snacks, retrieving more hot chocolate, etc. It seemed every fifteen minutes they were in some new configuration. Max most frequently ended up with her head in someone's lap. Kate tended to be the most nervous about disturbing the other girls, even though no one seemed to mind. Often her worries were met with even more ferocious cuddling. Chloe was, naturally, a fan of 'accidental' skin contact, which was met with varying degrees of warmth. And Victoria always tried to come across as prickly, but would inevitably be the one to hold the tightest and the least willing to let someone go once they were comfy.

As the food, drink, and movie supplies ran low, there was more yawning and less movement. The quartet finally seemed to find a combination that worked, with Max and Kate in between the taller girls, nestled close. They were like that for almost an hour, each occasionally falling asleep before jostling back awake. Around the fifth time it happened, Chloe seemed to decide it was time to bring the party to an end and get some proper rest.

Max checked her phone as they broke down the fort and laughed softly. "Wowzer, no wonder we're passing out, it's like 2 AM!"

"Well, I actually cleaned my room for once, and my bed's pretty big. You all down to just move our cuddle pile upstairs?" Chloe was particularly proud that she'd gone to all the trouble, but no one else was offering the kind of applause she'd been hoping for.

Kate finished folding one of the blankets and stretched, giving a little squeak. "As long as you're not expecting us to remake the entire fort..."

Of course, when it came to actually going to bed, Chloe certainly wasn't picky. Though she'd made a big deal about her room being clean, her bed wasn't what Kate would consider 'made'. There was a few extra pillows and blankets in case people got possessive in their sleep. And though she'd had her worries about things getting sexy, Kate was pleased to find that everyone was way too exhausted to do little more than climb into the bed and pass out one by one. They resumed their previous order, with the two tinier girls in the middle wrapped around one another with Victoria and Chloe's arms draped lazily over them.

…

The next morning, as everyone came to, there was a long, lazy period of no one doing much except for softly talking about how things were going, what they'd be up to over break, and how eager they were both for the free time but also about getting back to Arcadia Bay. The conversation was winding down and everyone understood that there was one last big question to tackle. Chloe wrapped herself a little more possessively around Max and looked toward the other two with curious eyes. It had been a good time, a great time even. Even Kate, with whom she had very little in common, had earned her approval. Someone had to say what they were all thinking, and predictably Max was the first to dip a toe in the water.

"So... We... don't have to make any official decision right away or anything, but... I-I feel really good about this. I sorta figure we take winter break to think about it, and next semester we can make an actual decision?" There were a few nods, but no one else really seemed brave enough to take a stab at a better idea. They all rose around noon and pitched in to help straighten up. They were mostly silent, but comfortably so. Even as Victoria gave Max and Kate a ride back to campus, no one said much.

They all went their separate ways from there, but it wasn't long before they started to desperately contact each other during break. Whether they were phone calls to talk about Christmas gifts or random selfies, or even the big Skype group chat they had on New Years, it was clear that everyone was invested, even if they were scared to make anything official.

Max came out to her parents, at least about Chloe, and they were completely understanding, and almost aggravatingly supportive. Victoria's parents couldn't have cared less about her romantic life unless it involved a marriage or a pregnancy. Kate was naturally avoidant about any subjects beyond classes with her parents, but she talked in very vague terms with her sisters about the angel who had saved her in October, and all the "dear friends" she'd made in the fallout.

Dates resumed almost immediately as soon as everyone came back to the small town. Joyce and David finally got a chance to meet Chloe's new _friends_ who were having such a big impact on their daughter. Finally toward the end of January the girls made the decision that it was obvious where this was headed. Even Kate couldn't withstand the relationship they had developed. She would find a way to work this out with her faith and family, some day, she knew.

Just before Valentine's Day, practically the entirety of Blackwell knew, those that didn't already have the inside track or at least a sneaking suspicion about the two couples who spent so much time together. Between Victoria's ferocity and Kate's purity, no one dared question them or call it bizarre. If anyone held such an opinion, they swiftly learned to keep it to themselves.

Each of them had been so alone for so long. They were sad and broken in their own ways. But finally they had something else, something more. And while it was scary to look toward the future, they did so eagerly, unable to imagine how much more they would experience together.

 **[Okay, there it is, the prequel is finished! I initially had some pretty different ideas in mind for how this would go down. For one thing, I didn't expect to become such a hardcore Chasemarsh fanatic. In many ways, I unintentionally made Arcadia Gays Kate and Victoria's story. I do adore Max and Chloe, but the drama inherent in Chasemarsh is just so delicious! Never fear, I've become addicted to writing these, and there will likely be a third volume after I finish up the core story]**


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